I spent this week-end clearing away all the saltwater flytying gear and dusting off the freshwater stuff.

There was a lot of dust! :o

Anyone got any favorite patterns for steelies and monsta' brownies on the SR this time of year? Any particular sizes?

I'll definitely be swinging my trusty GP's at some point.

striblue

11-10-2008, 10:40 AM

Adrian, the last time I was there I had used, by recomendation, of the lodge I was staying at, to use mostly, salmon egg imitations...pink and orange.... I never used any type of wet flies, or other large streamers or numph patterns... that is not to say they are not used...but the recomendation was a good one...so, I would just bring some of those simple egg flies as well as others which might also be recommended to you. I also had gone in November which is the key month...I was told.

BigDave

11-10-2008, 01:19 PM

Black wooly bugger is always a good move!

Have fun.

vtloon

11-10-2008, 06:56 PM

I'm planning to be there the weekend of 21-23 Nov. In addition to those already mentioned, the "Egg-sucking Leech" can be effective, but egg flies are probably most consistent. The key is to be ticking along the bottom.
Bring studs or Korkers.

striblue

11-10-2008, 10:00 PM

Good point I forgot to mention...that Todd says...bring those korkers ...the entire river bottom is shale rock... all flat, large, jumbled up and very slippery.... the current is strong depending on where you wade. A wading staff is not a bad idea , I did not have one but saw some with them..... anyway... you need not go in that far anyway....It's a fairly wide river and you will see drift boats.....(P.S. It's quite a unique town... people with waders on everywhere...people leaving the super market, the drug store, the resturants.... chatting...usual town life but with waders on.....)

Adrian

11-11-2008, 10:10 AM

Cool stuff - I found an egg pattern that even I could manage :smokin:

I'll post a report when I get back!

Adrian

11-17-2008, 02:37 PM

I had a good time on the SR. No banner days in terms of hook-ups but I did manage to connect with one nice steelhead that unhooked itself just before I could grab the leader - lots of acrobatics. I also had a brown of about 20 inches that would be considered a baby up there. Indicator fishing is new to me so it took a while to get the technique down. Fishing yesterday in driving sleet and snow was a new experience :smokin:

I am much happier swinging traditional wetflies speystyle but that technique is a low percentage game at this time of year but comes into its own in the spring aparently.

I was impresed with the quality of the river and the amount of access. Some areas felt a bit crowded but there are some really nice spots that get very little attention that can be had with a bit of walking.

I think I'll be going back!

p.s. great advice on cleats and wading sticks.

vtloon

11-17-2008, 10:32 PM

That wasn't driving sleet & snow. That was "Vermont Sunshine"; the damn Yorkers send it to us all the time.

Glad you enjoyed it. We'll be up there next weekend, and Jim will be giving me lessons.

striblue

11-18-2008, 12:16 AM

Good report Adrian... Todd and Jim invited me to join them but I need to be home when my daughter comes back from Syracuse that weekend. I had thought I could join them and pick her up at Syracuse U... on the way back, but she will be home that Saturday... I would love to go next year though and stop in Cooperstown on the way back

vtloon

11-24-2008, 05:25 PM

Well John, you missed the following:
* 5:30 am wake-ups
* Some good Steelhead
* Lots of Browns
* Fishing in snow, fishing in sun, freezing the whole time (except for the death-march
through the snow filled cornfields and up & down some snowy icy cliffs)

There were lots of fish in the river (as Jim kept showing me). Eventually, I started to get the hang of it. The water temp was 37 degrees the only time I measured it; that made me decide not to measure it again. The Browns were a bit logy, although some of them jumped quite a lot; the Steelies seemed less effected. One or two pictures to follow.

striblue

11-24-2008, 08:20 PM

Good, That sounds like a successful trip...and look forward to the pics and the Douglaston Run. Sorry , I missed it, but with my daughter up in that location I expect to make some trips not to mention that one of my Cape neighbors lives in "Skinnyatelis"..I spell it the way it sounds but that is not the correct spelling, a town on one of the finger lakes and am planning on fishing with with him from his lake front home this spring when I pick up my daughter for summer.

Jim Miller

11-24-2008, 08:44 PM

Here's one of the browns. Sorry you couldn't make it John....one of these days we will finally meet in person.
estaz flys in blue & pink worked well (one in "my" teeth in the pic).... Tod did well with a black wooley bugger too.